PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ronnie Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryoma Echizen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lopez
vs
Echizen

170 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

210 cm
18
134 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ronnie Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ryoma Echizen!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Alan Glass and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Echizen pushes Lopez up against the cage in a clinch.

Echizen gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Echizen content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ryoma Echizen.
Lopez misses with a takedown attempt

and Echizen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Lopez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Echizen working some strikes from top position.
Echizen throwing strikes but missing.
Lopez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Echizen won't allow Lopez to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Echizen sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Echizen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ryoma Echizen.
Echizen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Lopez circles away quickly and effectively.
Lopez fails with the takedown
and Echizen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Lopez gets a double leg takedown into Echizen's guard.
Echizen controlling Lopez's posture.
Echizen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lopez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Echizen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lopez can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Echizen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Echizen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Echizen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lopez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Lopez trying to control the position from guard on top but Echizen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lopez stopping the sweep attempt from Echizen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryoma Echizen dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Lopez misses with a takedown

and Echizen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Lopez wants to control but Echizen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Echizen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Echizen is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Lopez sees it coming and defends easily.
Echizen wants to control but Lopez is keeping him busy.

Echizen is working for a kimura but Lopez is defending it quite comfortably.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Echizen looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Echizen tries to pass to full mount but Lopez defends it.

Lopez is defending against the submission attempts here by Echizen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Lopez regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Echizen.
Echizen trying to control but Lopez is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is pulling down on Echizen's head to control his posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ryoma Echizen.

Echizen drives through and clinches with Lopez against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Echizen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Lopez uses from the top position.
Lopez seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Echizen is trying to keep Lopez in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ryoma Echizen.
Lopez fails with a takedown attempt.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Lopez.

Lopez looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryoma Echizen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Echizen moves into the clinch.

Echizen has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Lopez regains guard immediately.
Lopez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Echizen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Lopez is trying to keep Echizen in close.

Echizen content to sit in guard, stalling... Great. Oh but he could get punished here because Lopez has locked up a guillotine! Lopez's face is contorted as he sqeezes tight on the submission attempt - will he finish? Echizen is holding on here and Lopez must be using up a lot of energy. Echizen has gone limp! He's out! He's out cold! Lopez gets to his feet, tossing aside his stricken foe. Arms raised, he milks the applause from the crowd. Great submission!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Ronnie Lopez!